Vending machine



Feb.13,1923. 1,444,863. M. B. BAIRD.

VENDING MACHINE.

FILED MAR 19. 1921. 2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

Patented Feh. 13, 1923.

UNETEEQ rinse e a entice. j

MELVILLE B. RATED, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI; ALBERT H. STEELE, ADMINISTRA- TOR OF SAID IVIELVILLE B. BAIRD, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR T0 J. C. W. BLAND, OF

TULSA, OKLAHOIVIA.

VENDING MACHINE.

Application filed March 19, 1921. Serial N0. 453,860.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

7 Be it known that I, Mnnvinnn B. BAIRD,

a. citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specificw tion. v

This invention relates to vending machines and particularly to what is known asthe ball gum vending machine; that is, a machine in which chewing gum and confections of ball form may be vended upon the insertion of a coin, check or token o appropriate dimension.

The invention consists generically in providing a compartmental receptacle with a vending slide which maybe laterally shiftedfrom one receptacle to another so that the operator or vendee from the front of the machine may manipulate the distributor or vending slide to align it with the discharge end of any compartment from which merchandise is to be purchased.

The invention consists in certain novel parts and combinations of parts, all of which will appear hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vending machine to which my invention is applied.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, cross sectional view through the same.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the shifting frame and part of the coin-controlled mechanism.

Fig. 4- is a bottom perspective view of one of the receptacles.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the frame and slide, and

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the slide.

The invention is shown as consisting of a casing 1 having a plurality of storage receptacles, in the present instance 2, 3, i, 5 and 6. Any number of storage receptacles, however, may be employed to vary the capacity of the casing. In the bottom of each receptacle is an agitated slide 7 having upstanding agitator wings 8, which will stir up the mechandise as the slideis moved back and forth. The bottom of the slide is provided with depending lugs or flanges 9 and 10, and in front of the flange 10 is a delivery opening 11, adapted to coincide with the opening 12 in a laterally shiftable delivery slide 18, carried in guideways 1a and 15 connected by the web 16 having a loop 17 to slide on the rail 18, the loop 17 being provided with a pointer handle 19. The member 13 is also provided. with a depend.- ing flange or projection 20.

The upper rim portion 12 of the member 13 is adapted to contact with the flange 10 when in line therewith and move the slide 7 so that candy or chewing gum may pass through the :opening of the ring 12 into the chute 21 provided with a tilting door 22 whereby access may behad to the merehanc lse.

It is to be understood that there is a slide 7 for each compartment and the particular slide actuated will depend upon the position of the member 13 which, as heretofore explained, may be moved laterally of the easing to align withthe proper slide 7.

23 is a coin chute, which is adapted to dellver a coin at 24C so that the link 2-5, actuated by the arm 26 and shaft 27 provided with a handle 28, may move the frame 29 when the coin is deposited at 24.

The link 25 is connected to the bar 30, which cooperates with a pivoted latch 31 adapted to receive a coin in the slot at 24L so that the coin will bridge the gap between the lug 32 on the latchBl and the lug 33 on the frame 29 so that when the hollow shaft 27 is turned,th'e arm 26 will push the frame 29 rearward-1y until the latch member 31 drops off the channel 30, in which the bar 30 rests, whereupon the coin will be dropped to the bottom of the casing. The return movement of the hollow shaft will actuate the slide 13 to discharge the merchandise. The particular coin-controlled mechanism, however, is of no importance in this particular application. The bar 34: is connected to the crank 35 on the shaft 36, loosely journaled at 37 and in the hollow shaft 27 simply for a bearing.

It is to be understood that the bar 30 can move independently of the end bar 38 unless a coin-is deposited in the slot indicated at 24, and in that event, the frame 29 would not operate, the operation of the frame 29 being dependent entirely upon the check or coin which must bridge the gap between the end of the latch 81 and the lug 33.

The essential feature of the invention is the laterally adjustable frame and the slide shown in Fig. 6, which may be slid from compartment to compartment to select the particular one from which the merchandise is to be vended, it also being apparent that the chute 21 extends the entire length of the machine and the single outlet closed :by the door 22 will su'liice for all of the compartments.

If the operator desired to discharge gum from any one compartment, the indicator handle 19 will be moved along until it aligns with one of the notches 39 so that the slide consisting of the web 16 and its parts will be in proper alignment with the compartment. T hen upon the insertion of a coin so as to actuate the frame 29, the slide 13 can be moved to vending position. It is to be noted. that the opening 11 in plate 7 normally lies beneath and is closed by the base d3 of the compartment so that the chewing gum will not pass through the opening until the plate has been moved rearwardly, so that the opening will register with the opening 44 in the compartment base 43.

The casing 1 can be provided with a removable cover 40, which may be secured thereto in any well known manner.

The operation is as follows If it is desired to purchase chewing gum or candy of the variety contained in compartment 5, the handle 19, carrying therewith the slide 13, is moved laterally along the bar 18 until the handle is in alignment with that particular compartment. The operator then inserts a coin which bridges the gap between the trip lever 31 and the lock 33 on the compartment 29 and upon operating the handle 28 the frame 29 is moved rearwardly. Carried by the frame 29 is a cross bar 11 which, upon rearward movement of the frame 29, contacts with the ring 12 and this ring 12 in turn contacting with the flange 10 on the sliding plate 7, so that the slide 18 and plate 7 are together moved rearwardly to receive chewing gum from the compartment. lhe chewing gum falls through the openings 11 and 12 and rests upon the plate 42. Upon reverse movement of the handle 28 the flange 20 of the ring 12 forces the chewing gum forwardly and into the chute 21,

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the device is simple in operation, that a single releasing slide 13 may be manipulated to align with any compartment wherein merchandise is to be released, and that the vendee may move the slide member 18 laterally in a selected manner under any cominents, a guide bar in front of the casing, a

slidable guide device mounted on said bar and projecting into the casing to be moved under the respective compartments, and a longitudinally movable releasing device carried by the guide.

3. A vending machine, comprising a compartmental casing, a laterally sliding memher having a discharge opening therein, beneath the casing, and means for imparting longitudinal movement to the said member to discharge an article of merchandise. I

4. A vending machine, comprising a compartmental casing provided with an opening, a plate slidable beneath the said opening and having an aperture therein, a laterally sliding member having a port therein adapted to register with the aperture in the plate, and means for imparting longitudinal movement to the said member to discharge an article of merchandise.

5. A vending machine, comprising a compartmental casing, a longitudinally sliding plate beneath the compartment, a laterally sliding member adapted to be brought into alignment with the said plate, and means for imparting longitudinal movement to the laterally sliding member to discharge an article of merchandise.

Iii-testimony whereof I affix my signature.

MELVILLE B. .BAIRD. 

